Closure latch



Aug. 23, 1960 B. F. MEYERl ETAL CLOSURE LATCH Filed June 30, 1958 ATTENEV Aug. 23, 1960 B. F. MEYER ETAL 2,950,138

cLosURE LATCH Filed lJuma 5o, 195e e sheets-sheet 2 Aug- 23, 1960 B. F. MEYR ETAL 2,950,138

cLosURE LATCH Filed June 3o, 1958 e sheets-sheet s lNl/ENTOR:

Arrow/L Aug.`23, 1960 B. F. MEYER ErAL 2,950,138

CLOSURE LATCH Filed June 30, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR5 Trae/Vey Ax'lg. 23, 1960 B. F. MEYER ETAL CLOSURE LATCH IN VEN TOR5 TOR/VE Y Aug. 23, 1960 B. F. MEYER ETAL 2,950,138

CLOSURE LATCH Filed June 30, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 ummm wur gi; l/yz/ cLosURE LATCH Barthold F. Meyer, St. Clair Beach, Ontario, Canada, and Nicholas Toruk, Melvindale, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 30, 1958, Ser. No. 745,605

14 Claims. (Cl. 292-229) This invention relates to vehicle closure latches and more particularly to power operated vehicle closure latches.

The closure latch of this invention is intended primarily for use with vehicle deck lids and may be operated either from the interior of the body or from the exterior thereof to unlatch the deck lid so that it may be manually moved to an open position. The latch is also operative to move the deck lid from a partially closed position to a fully closed position to obtain a tight seal between the deck lid and the body.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the latch includes a latch bolt engageable with a fixed striker, and a detent to hold the bolt in latched or safety positions. The detent is swingably mounted on a rotatable sector driven by an electric motor. Additionally the motor controls the `operation of a cam which is operative to release the detent to thereby allow the bolt to be unlatched, with the motor thereafter moving the sector and the detent to a position wherein the detent will engage the bolt to hold the bolt in a safety position wherein the bolt partially engages the striker. Upon engagement of the detent with the bolt in the safety position thereof, the motor is thereupon operated to rotate the sector and hereby swing the bolt by means of the detent to latched position in full engagement with the striker and thereby move the deck lid to a fully closed position.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved power operated vehicle closure latch. Another object `of this invention is to provide a power operated vehicle closure latch wherein a single power operator is used to both unlatch the bolt and move the bolt from a partially latched position to a fully latched position. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved power operated closure latch which includes a swingable latch bolt movable to latched, unlatched and safety positions and a bodily movable detent releasable from the bolt to allow the bolt to move from latched to unlatched positions with the detent thereafter being bodily movable to a position wherein the detent will engage the bolt and hold the bolt in safety position in partial engagement with the striker to hold the closure in a partially closed position. Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved power operated closure latch which includes a latch bolt movable to latched, unlatched, and safety positions and a bodily movable detent releasable from the bolt when the bolt is in latched position to vallow the bolt to be moved to unlatched position, with the detent being power operated for bodily movement to a position wherein the detent is engageable by the bolt to hold the bolt in safety position, and thereafter being power operated for bodily movement to its initial position to thereby move the latch bolt to a fully latched position.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings, wherein:

ted States Patent Mice Figure l is a partial rear elevational View of a vehicle body embodying a closure latch according to this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5;

Figure 3 is a View taken along the plane indicated by line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view taken along the plane indicated by line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 1 with parts thereof broken away for clarity of illustration and with the closure latch being shown in latched position;

Figure 6 is a view taken along the plane indicated by line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a View taken along the plane indicated by line 7--7 of Figure 5;

Figure vt3 is a view taken along the plane indicated by line 8-8 of Figure 5;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 6 and showing the closure latch in unlatched position;

Figure 10 is an enlarged broken away view of a portion of Figure 5; and

Figure 11 is a circuit diagram.

Referring now particularly to Figure l of the drawings, a vehicle body 20 includes a rear window 22 and a deck lid 24 which is swingably mounted at its forward edge 26 on the body 20 for movement between a closed position, as shown, and an open position, not shown, to open and close the rear deck compartment of the body. The deck lid 24 is provided with a power operated closure latch 2S according to this invention for latching and unlatching the deck lid from the body to allow the deck lid to be manually moved between open and closed positions.

Referring now particularly to Figures 5, 6 and 9 of the drawings, the deck lid 24 includes an outer panel 3G and an inner panel 32, with the inner panel 32 including an integral lower panel 34, the flanged edge 36 of which is secured to the outer panel by bending the edge 38 of the outer panel over the flanged edge 36. A latch frame 40 includes a base wall 42 bolted at 44 to the inner panel 32 and a pair of side walls 46 and 48. The lower portion of the side wall 46 is oset `at 50 and terminates in an apertured ear 52 which is spaced from an apertured ear 54 integral with side wall 48 and joined thereto by an offset 56. A shaft S8 extends between the apertured ears 52 and 54 and is rigidly secured thereto. A fork type latch bolt 60 is swingably mounted on the shaft 53 and includes a detent shoulder 62. The fork of the latch bolt receives a striker bar 64 to hold the deck lid in a fully closed position as shown in Figures 5 and 6, or a partially closed position as will be described. The striker bar is fixed to a pair of spaced anges 66 of a bracket 68. The bracket 68 is bolted at 70 to the base wall 72 of a generally U- shaped ange mounting bracket 74 which is secured to the body 20 by welding or otherwise securing the flanges 76 of the mounting bracket thereto.

A sector gear member 78 is also rotatably mounted on the shaft 5S and includes an offset foot Si) which slidably bears against one side of the bolt 6i) as best shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. A detent member 82 is swingably mounted on a stud 84 which is -iixed to the sector member and includes an upper lateral arcuately shaped ange 86 and also a lower lateral arcuately shaped flange 88 which is part of a bracket 90 welded or otherwise secured to the detent member. A spring 92 has one torsion coil 94 thereof mounted on the shaft 58 and another torsion coil 96 thereof mounted on the stud 84, with one end 9S `of the spring received within a notch in the ange 86 and the other end 104i of the spring hooked over the bolt 60. Thus, spring 92 continually biases the bolt to an unlatched position or counterclockwise as viewed in Figures 6 and 9 and biases the detent member 82 toward a detented position or clockwise as viewed in Figures 6 and 9. The detent member 82 further includes an offset detent foot 102 which is engageable with the detent shoulder 62 of bolt 60 when the bolt is in latched position, as shown in Figures 6 and 7,.and also when the bolt is in safety position, as will be described. It can be seen from Figures 6, 7 and 9 that the offset foot 80 of the sector member 78 accurately positions the detent foot 102 laterally with respect to bolt 60 and the detent shoulder 62 thereof. The inner and lower walls 32 and 34 of the decklid 24 are apertured at 104 to provide space for the passage of the side walls 46 and 48 of frame 40 therethrough and the side walls 46 and 48 Yare provided with laterally extending flanges 106 bolted to the lower wall 34 at 108 to additionally seoure theframe 40 to the deck lid 24. As best shown in Figures and 6 of the drawings, an offset apertured bracket 110 is riveted at 112 to a lateral flange 114 ofthe side Wall 46 of frame 40. A cam member 116 is swingably mounted between the flange 114 and the bracket 110 and is provided with a square shaped bore which receives the complementary shaped end 118 of a shaft '120, indicated schematically in Figure 6. Shaft 120 is part of a key cylinder assembly 122 which is mounted in the outer panel 30 of the deck lid 24. The key cylinder assembly is of known type and upon insertion Vof a key therewithin, the shaft 120 can be turned to in turn rotate the cam member 116 for a purpose to be described.

An electric motor 124 includes a gear box assembly 126 provided with a plurality of lateral bosses 128 which are bolted -at 129 to the side wall 48 of the frame 40 to mount the electric motor and gear box assembly thereon.

from a latched position as shown in Figures 6 and 7 to an unlatched position as shown in Figure 9. Assuming that the driver is seated within the car and that he desires to unlach the deck lid 24, the driver operates a manual switch 190 which may be conveniently mounted on the dashboard or within the glove compartment of the body to close a circuit from the battery 192 to ground across the opening field winding and armature of the motor 124 and across a normally closed limit switch 194. As best shown in Figures 7 and 9 of the drawings, the switch 194 is secured to the side Wall 48 of frame 40 and includes a spring arm 196 which controls movement of the plunger 198 ofthe switch. Since the motor will now be energized, the shaft 130 will be driven through the gear drive arrangement and the shaft will rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figures 7 and 9 of the drawings to rotate the seotor member 78 and bodily move the detentmember 82 counterclockwise about shaft 58. As the sector member. and detent move in this direction, the bolt 60 will also swing in the same direction about the shaft 58 since the/spring 92 biases the bolt toward unlatched position to hold' the detent shoulder 62 of the bolt in engagementrwith the detent foot 102 of the detent member. Thus the bolt will start to move out of engagement with the striker bar 64.

Referring now particularly to Figures 2 through 4 of v the drawings, as the shaft 130 rotates in a clockwise member 152 and move into and along the groove 178 The gear box assembly 126 is of known type and includes a worm, not shown, which meshes with a worm Wheel, not shown, fixed to a shaft 130 which is journaled Within the side wall 48 by a. bushing 132. The shaft 130 includes a pinion 134 fixed thereto and meshing with the sector member 78 and a terminal pin shaft V136. The Vpin shaft 136 is rotatably received within a bracket 138 which includes oset feet 140 bolted to the side wall 48 of frame 42 at 129, as shown best in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings. A cam member 152 is Yrotatably mounted on theV shaft 136 and the4 rotational position of the cam relative to the shaft is controlled by a pair of opposed Belleville spring washers 154 and 156 on opposite sides of the cam.

Referring now to Figures 2 through 4 of the drawings, the spring washer 154 includes a pair of lateral tabs 158 which are received within openings 160 in bracket 138 so as to hold the spring washer against rotation relative to the shaft 136. The spring washer 156 is also pro- 'vided with a pair of offset tabs 162 which are received within notches 164 of a plate 166. The plate 166 is provided with a'central opening'168 having ilat sides and longer than the groove 176, which terminates at one end thereof in a shoulder 180. A lanced out tab 182 of the spring washer 156 is adapted to move both within and Without the groove V178 and is normally not in engagement with the shoulder 180 when the latch is in latched position.

Referring'now particularly to Figures 6, 7, 9 and 1l of i the drawings, the operation of the closure latch will be .described and particularly the movement of the latch asV shown in this figure of the drawings.

therein until the tab moves into engagement with the shoulder of the groove. Thereupon the cam member 152 must rotate with the shaft 130 and the cam member will then rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 7 Vor counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 4. YAs the cam rotates in this direction, it will swing the detent member 82 counterclockwise about the stud 84 by engagement withthe ange 86 thereof so as to move the detent foot 102 out of engagement with shoulder 62 of the bolt whereby the bolt will be instantly moved to its unlatchedposition as shown in Figure 9 by the spring 92 as foot 102 slides relative to the outer edge of bolt 60. Thus the deck lid is now unlached from the body and may be manually moved to an open position. The motorV 124 does not stop when the detent mmeber 82 is released from engagement with the bolt, since switch 194 remains closed, ,butcontinues to operate until a pin 200 iixed to the sector member 78 and movable within a slot 202 of Wall 48 engages the spring arm 196 of switch 194 to move the plunger 198 within the switch to open the switch and thereby break the circuit to ground across the motor to stop the motor.

Thus, the sector 78 and detent 82 are moved to their position shown in Figure 9.

The engagement of the tab 182 of the spring washer 156 withv shoulder 180 of cam 152 continues the rotation of the cam 152 with shaft 130 until the motor 124 is stopped. When the motor is stopped, the cam will have returned to its position as shown in Figure 4, with the tab 182 positioned in engagement with the shoulder 180. During this movement of the cam member 152, the cam member will move clockwise relative to the spring washer 154, as viewed in Figure 3, as the shoulder 174 ofthe cam member backs away from tab 172 and moves relative thereto in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3 until the tab and shoulder are positioned again From this description, it can be seen that the cam member 152 swings through an arc of approximately 360 during operation of the motor V124.

As best, shown in Figures 6 and 9 of the drawings, another limit switch 204 is secured to the side wall 46 of frame 40 and includes a spring arm 206 which controls movement of the plunger 208 of the switch into and out of the switch. Normally the spring arm 206 is located in spaced relationship to the arcuately shaped cam ange 88 of bracket 90 on the detent member 82. When the detent member 82 is moved out of engagement with the detent shoulder 62 of the bolt 60 as previously described, the lower surface of the cam ange 88 engages the spring arm 206 of switch 204 to depress this arm and move the plunger 20S into the switch. Referring now particularly to Figure 1l of the drawings, the switch 204 is normally closed to contact 210 when the closure latch is in latched position and is closed to contact 212 when the cam flange 88 engages the spring arm 206 of the switch upon release of the detent member 82 from bolt 60 to allow the bolt to be moved to unlatched position. Contact 210 is connected to ground across the closing field winding and armature of the motor 124, across a normally closed torque overload limit switch 214 which now will be described, and across the armature of a relay 216, the coil of which is energized whenever switches 190 and 194 are closed.

Referring now particularly to Figure of the drawings, switch 214 will be described. The gear box 126 is provided with a boss 218 having a peripheral V-shaped groove 219. A housing 220 is slidably mounted on the boss 218 and iixedly mounts a pair of contact arms 222 which project outwardly thereof. A pair of movable switch contact arms 224 are fixed to a disk 226 of insulating material slidably mounted on a shaft 228 in engagement with a shoulder 235 thereof provided by an enlarged end shaft portion 232 which is slidably mounted within an intermediate wall 234 of housing 220. The shaft portion 232 is normally in engagement with the other end 236 of the shaft 130 and is held thereagainst by means of a coil compression spring 238 which seats against the disk 226 and an adjustable set screw 240 threaded into housing 221). The switch 214 is operated upon torque overload of the motor 124 as will be more fully described. Briey, the contacts 224 are open to the contacts 222, as shown, when the deck llid is in latched position. When the deck lid is in unlatched position, the contacts 224 move into engagement with the contacts 222, as will be hereinafter described.

Assuming first that the deck lid is moved from a fully open position to a partially closed position, the latch bolt 60, the detent member 32 and the sector 78 will be in a position as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. Assuming now that the deck iid is then moved slightly beyond this position so that the engagement of one fork 242 of the bolt 60 will swing the bolt clockwise as viewed in Figure 9. As the bolt swings in this direction, the olfset detent foot 102 of the detent 32 will slide relative to the outer edge of the bolt and -will then drop into engagement with the detent shoulder 62 of the bolt under the action of spring 92 to move the bolt to a partially latched or safety position in engagement with the striker bar 64 and rnove the arcuately shaped cam flange S8 out of engagement with the switch actuator 2% to allow the plunger 263 to move out of the switch. Thus the switch 204 will now be closed to its contact 219.

Since the movable contacts 224 of the switch 214 engage the hired contacts 222 thereof only when the deck lid is in open position, switch 214 will be closed to its contact to complete a circuit to ground from the battery 192 across switches 204 and 214, the armature of relay 216 and the closing field winding and armature of motor 124. Thus the motor will be energized to rotate the shaft 1353 in a countcrclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 9 of the drawings. As the shaft rotates in this direction, pinion 134 wiil swing the sector 78 in a clockwise direction about the shaft 53 to move the bolt 6? from its partially latched or safety position to its fully latched position as shown Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings due to the engagement of the detent foot 102 of the detent member 82 with the detent shoulder 62 of the bolt. When the deck lid moves to a fully closed position, the sealing engagement of flange 36 of the deck lid with the body weatherstrip 244 and engagement of the fork of bolt 60 with striker bar 64 places a torque overload upon the motor. This overload upon the motor will cause the shaft to shift slightly to the right as viewed in Figures 5 and l0 and the engagement of the other end 236 of the shaft with the end portion 232 of the shaft 228 will move the shaft 228 slightly to the right to move the contacts 224 of switch 214 out of engagement with the contacts 222 to thereby open the switch 214 and stop the motor 124.

It will be remembered that when the deck lid is in a partially closed position as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, the tab 172 of `spring washer 154 is in engagement with shoulder 174 of groove 176, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, and that tab 182 is in engagement with shoulder of groove 178, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. When the shaft 130 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 9, or clockwise as viewed in Figure 4, to swing the sector 78 and the detent member 82 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 9, to thereby move the latch bolt 60 to a fully latched position after the detent foot 162 has engaged the latch bolt shoulder 62, the spring washer 156 will rotate clockwise with the shaft as viewed in Figure 4. The tab 182 of the spring washer will thus back away from shoulder 130 and move within the groove 178. Ordinarily there will be no movement of the cam member 152 with the spring washer 156, but should any such movement tend to occur, the engagement of the tab 172 of the spring washer 154 with shoulder 174 will prevent such movement to hold the cam member 152 in its position as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 9 of the drawings. The position of the tab 182 with respect to the groove 173 will vary, since the motor 124 is controlled by the sealing pressure of the deck lid with the weather strip 244 by means of the torque overload switch 214. Since switch 214 has a range of operation, the motor will not be stopped at the same time in all closing sequences whereby in certain closing sequences the spring washer 156 may swing through an arc of 360 and in other closing sequences may swing through a lesser arc.

It will be remembered that the key cylinder assembly 122 controls the cam member 116 by means of rod 120, and this allows the deck lid to be unlatched from the exterior of the car as will now be described. If the Operator inserts a suitable key within the key cylinder 122 to rotate the rod 120 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 5, the cam member 116 Will be rotated in the same direction into engagement with the flange S6 of the detent member 82 so as to rotate the detent member counterclockwise as Viewed in Figure 6 and move the detent foot 102 out of engagement with the latch bolt shoulder 62. Thus the latch bolt will be instantly moved to an unlatched position as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings by means of the spring 92. When the detent member 82 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the lower surface of the arcuately shaped ange 96 of bracket 88 will engage the narm 206 of switch 204 to move the plunger 208 of the switch inwardly thereof and open the switch to contact 210 and close the switch to contact 212, reference being made to Figure 1l. When switch 204 is closed to contact 212, a circuit will be completed from the battery 192 across switches 204 and 194 to ground across the opening iield winding and armature of the motor 124 so that the motor will be operated to move the sector member 78 and the detent member 82 to their position as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings, as previously described. It is believed that no further description of this need be given, since the operation is the same except that the switch 204 now energizes the electric motor 124 rather than the electric motor being energized from within the interior of the body and operation of the motor thereafter energizing switch 204. Since switch 194 is a limit switch, it will be closed whenever the deck lid is in a latched position. Closing movement of the deck lid will be the same as that previously described.

With reference to Figure 1l, it will be noted that the relay 216 controls energization of the closing ield windthat the switch 214 is open when the deck lid is in latched position. It will also be remembered that there is a time lag before the switch 204 is opened to the contact 210 It will be rememi,

agentes Vmeans for swinging said member between said first position. wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and said second position wherein and closed to the contact 212, depending on the relation of the tab 182 and the shoulder 180. Since the torque overload switch is closed upon rotation of the motor in the opposite direction in the opening sequence of the closure latch, it is possible for both field windings of the motor to be energized at the same time. However, relay 216 prevents this, since even if the switch 214 is closed before switch 204 is opened to its contact 210, the coil of relay 216 will have been previously energized to move the armature thereof out of the circuit to the closing field winding of the motor so that this field'winding cannot be energized.

Thus this invention provides a new and improved power operated vehicle closure latch which includes a swingable latch bolt movable to latched, unlatched and safety positions and a power operated bodily movable detent releasable from the bolt to allow the bolt to be moved from latched to unlatched positions, with the detent thereafter being bodily moved to a position wherein the detent will engage the bolt and hold the bolt in a partially latched or safety position in partial engagement with the striker to hold the `closure in a partially closed position, with continued bodily movement of the detent thereafter moving the bolt to a fully latched position to move the closure in tight sealing engagement with the body.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a detent, means mounting said detent on said support for'pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, operating means for bodily moving said detent between a rst position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and a second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in safety position, means operable upon bodily movement of said detent from said rst to said second position thereof to swing said detent relative to said support and thereby release said detent from engagement with said bolt to allow said bolt to swing t0 unlatched position, means for-moving said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said second position thereof, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in said respective second and safety positions thereof for actuating said operating means to bodily moveV said detent in engagement with said bolt from said second to said first position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position.

2. yA closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a detent, means mounting said detent on said support for pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, Voperating means for bodily moving said detent between a lirst position wherein said detent is engageable with 'said bolt when in latched position and a second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in'safety position, rst

Acontrol means operable upon bodilymovement of said detent from said Iirst to said second position thereof to swingsaid detent relative to said support and thereby said detent is engageable with said bolt when in safety position, iirst control means operable upon swinging movement of said member from said rst to said second position thereof to swing said detent relative thereto and thereby release said detent from engagement with said bolt to allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched position to said safety position in engagement with said detent in vsaid second position of said member, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said member is in said second position for actuating said operating means to bodily move said member from said second to said rst position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position by engagement of said bolt with said detent.

4. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a support member swingably mounted on said support for movement between first and second positions, a detent swingably monnted on said member for pivotal movement relative thereto and bodily movement therewith, operating means for swinging saidmember and bodily moving said detent between said -iirst and second positions when said detent is in engagement with said bolt, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched position to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said first position of said detent and member, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said detent and member are in said first position for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent and member from said first to said second position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position.

5. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a support member swingably mounted on said support for movement between first and second positions, a detent swingably mounted on said member for pivotal movement relative thereto and bodily movement therewith, operating means for swinging said member and bodily moving said detent between said first position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and said second position wherein said detent is engageable with said -bolt when in safety position, means envallow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, and means gageable with said detent upon movement of said member and detent from said first to said second position thereof to swing said detent relative to said member out of engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said second position of said detent and member, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said bolt is in said safety position for actuating said operating means to swing said detent and member from said second position thereof to said rst position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position by engagement of said detent with said bolt.

6. A closure latch comprising, a support, -a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latch, unlatched and safety positions, a support member swingably mounted on said support for movement between first and second positions, detent means swingably mounted on said support member for pivotal movement relative thereto and bodily movement therewith, operating means for moving said support member and detent between said first position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and said second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in safety position, cam means mounted on said support and being engageable with said de- -tent upon movement of said detent and member from said first to said second position thereof to swing said detent relative to said member out of engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said second position of said detent and member, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said bolt is in said safety position for actuating said operating means to move said detent and member from said second position thereof to said first position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position by engagement of said detent with said bolt.

7. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a support member swingably mounted on said support for movement between first and second positions, detent means swingably mounted on said support member for pivotal movement relative thereto and bodily movement therewith, operating means for moving said support member and detent between said first position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and said second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in safety position, cam means movably mounted on said support and operatively connected to said operating means, said cam means being moved into engagement with said detent by said operating means upon actuation of said operating means to move said detent and member from said first to said second position thereof to thereby swing said detent relative to said member out of engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched position to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said Second position of said detent and member, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said bolt is in said safety position for actuating said operating means to move said detent and member from said second position thereof to said first position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position by engagement of said detent with said bolt.

8. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a support member swinoably mounted on said support for movement between first and second positions, detent means swingably mounted on said support member for pivotal movement relative thereto and bodily movement therewith, power operating means for moving said support member and detent between said first position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position and said second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in safety position, cam means swingably mounted on said support, means operatively connecting said cam means to said power operating means for moving said cam means into engagement with said detent upon actuation of said power operating means to move said detent `and member from said first to said second position thereof to thereby swing said detent relative to said member out of engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched position to said safety position in engagement with said detent in said second position of said detent and member, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said bolt is in said safety position for actuating said power operating means to move said detent and member from said second position thereof to said first position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position by engagement of said detent with said bolt.

9. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a detent means mounting said detent on said support for pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, said detent being bodily movable between first and second positions for respective engagement with said bolt in latched and safety positions, operating means for bodily moving said detent between said rst and second positions thereof, means for swinging said detent relative to said support in said first position thereof to release said detent from engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, first control means responsive to release of said detent from engagement with said bolt for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent from said first to said second position thereof, means for swinging said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position thereof in engagement with said detent in said second position thereof, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in said respective second and safety positions thereof for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent from said second to said first position thereof in engagement with said bolt to thereby swing said bolt from said safety to said latched position thereof.

l0. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a detent, means mounting said detent on said support for pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, said detent being bodily movable between first and second positions for respective engagement with said bolt in latched and safety positions, power operating means for bodily moving said detent between said rst and second positions thereof, manually operable means for swinging said detent relative to said support in said first position thereof to release said detent from engagement with sm`d bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, first Control means responsive to reiease of said detent from engagement with said bolt for actuating said power operating means to bodily move said detent from said first to said second position thereof, means for swinging said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position thereof in engagement with said detent, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in said respective second and safety positions thereof for actuating said power operating means to bodily move said detent from said second to said first position thereof in engagement with said bolt to thereby swing said bolt from said safety to said latched position thereof.

l1. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a detent, means mounting said detent on said support for pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, said detent being bodily movable between first and second positions for respective engagement with said bolt in latched and safety positions, power operating means for bodily moving said detent between said first and second positions thereof, manually operable means for swinging said detent relative to said support in said first position thereof to release said detent from engagement with said bolt and allow said bolt to swing to unlatched position, rst control means responsive to release of Vsaid detent from engagement with said bolt for actuating said power operating Vmeans to bodily move said detent from said iirstY to said second position thereof, a striker engageable by said bolt for swinging said bolt 'from said unlatched to said safety position thereof in partial engagement with said striker and in engagement with said detent, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in said respective second and safety positions thereof for actuating said operating means to bodilyI move said detent from said second to said iirst -position thereof in engagement with said boltrto thereby swing said Vbolt from said safety to said latched position thereof in full engagement with said strikers f v 12. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement between latched, unlatched and safety positions, a support member coaxially mounted with said bolt for swinging movement between iirst andsecond positions, a detent member swingably mounted on said support member for pivotal movement relative thereto into and out of detent engagement with said bolt and bodily movement therewith between said'iirst and second positions for respective detent engagement with said bolt in latched and safety positions, comon spring means biasing said bolt to unlatched position and said detent to detented position, operating means for moving said member and detent between said iirst and second positions thereof, means for swinging said detent relative to saidl member in said vfirst position thereof to release said detent from engagement with said bolt and allow said spring means to move said bolt to unlatched position, first control means responsive to release of said detent from engagement with said bolt for actuating said operating means to bod- Vvily move said member and detent from said rst to said second position thereof, means for swinging said bolt from said unlatched to said safety position thereof in engagement with said detent against the action of said spring means, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in said respective second and safety positions thereof for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent from said sec' ond to said first position thereof in engagement with Vsaid bolt to thereby swing said bolt from said safety to said latched position thereof.

13. In a vehicle body having a body member and a closure member movable between open and closed positions with respect to said body' member, a closure latch comprising, a striker mounted on one of said members, a latch bolt pivotally mounted on the other of said members for swinging movement between latched, unlatched i2 and ysafety positions, a detent, means mounting said del tent on said other member for pivotal and bodily movevment relative thereto, operating means for-bodily moving said detent between a first position wherein said de- Y tent is engageable with said bolt in latched position and a second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt in safety position, means for swinging said detent relative to said other member to release said detent from engagement with said bolt when said bolt is in latched position to allow said bolt to move to unlatched position and thereby allow said closure to be moved to open position, iirst control means responsive to release of said detent from engagement with said bolt for actuating said operating means to bodily move said de- Vtent from said first to said second position thereof, said bolt being partially engageable with said striker upon movement of said closure to a partially closed position to swing said bolt to said safety position thereof in engagement with said detent, and second control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt when said bolt is in said safety position for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent from said second to said first positionv thereof whereby said detent swings said bolt from said safety to said latched positionV thereof to move said closure to closed position with said holt in full engagement with said striker.

14. A closure latch comprising, a support, a latch bolt swingably mounted on said support for movement-betweenlatched, unlatched and safety positions, adetent, means mounting said detent on said support for pivotal and bodily movement relative thereto, operating means for bodily moving said detent member betwen a first position wherein said detent is engageable with saidA bolt when in safety position and a second position wherein said detent is engageable with said bolt when in latched position, means for moving said bolt from said unlatched position to vsaid safety position in engagement with said detentwhen said detent is in said rstposition thereof, and control means responsive to engagement of said detent with said bolt in the respective `first and safety positions thereof for actuating said operating means to bodily move said detent from said first position thereof to said second position thereof to thereby move said bolt from said safety to said latched position.

Wagner Feb. 12, 1946 Thompson Apr. 10, 1956 

